Bruce Wayne from the Batman Beyond Universe shares a lot in common with Obi-Wan Kenobi.
In the Batman Beyond universe, Bruce Wayne actually managed to survive to old age. This is largely due to giving up the mantle of Batman after a traumatic last mission that forced Bruce to accept that he was no longer physically able to keep fighting. That last mission would haunt Bruce for years and in his absence, Gotham City would once again reach peak levels of crime.
However, his redemption would come in the form of Terry McGinnis, who became the new Batman. Bruce’s story here parallels Obi-Wan Kenobi’s, both sharing similar problems and finding redemption through teaching the hero rather than taking the spotlight themselves.
The mission that caused Bruce to retire was one that made him break the very oath that led to his crimefighting in the first place. During a rescue mission, the elderly Bruce suffered a heart attack in the middle of a fight. Physically unable to defend himself, the criminals nearly killed him until Bruce picked up a nearby gun and aimed it at them. He never fired, but the threat was enough to force them to run, and completely shatter Bruce’s confidence in the aftermath.
As any Batman fan knows, Bruce Wayne despises guns. It was the weapon that killed his parents and to him, a coward’s tool. So to even brandish one in self-defense was a complete betrayal of everything he set out to do and a harsh wakeup call to the fact that time was one enemy he could not defeat. This isn’t even considering whether or not Bruce might have been willing to pull the trigger. Either way, the mere act of brandishing the gun crushed him and left him with no choice but to stop being Batman entirely.
Likewise, Obi-Wan suffers from an immense amount of guilt. He blames himself for not noticing Anakin Skywalker’s descent into darkness and could never truly forgive himself for sitting idly by as the Empire expanded its rule of the galaxy. He had the best reason not to in keeping vigil over the boy who would eventually stop the empire, but it still weighed on him.
By the time their future proteges came into their lives, both men had reached a point where they were unable to be as effective as they were in their youth. Their role had transitioned from hero to mentor, making sure that they could teach both young men what they needed to succeed where they had failed.
In this regard, both redeemed themselves. Crime in Gotham had reached an all-time high after Batman left, but when Terry stepped into the role, suddenly it was safe to walk the streets again. He even managed to help Bruce fix some of the problems in his personal relationships. Likewise, Luke helped inspire a rebellion and topple the Empire, even redeeming his father in the process, something even Obi-Wan doubted was possible. Both these men redeemed themselves by making sure that their successors were better than they were. Bruce and Obi-Wan failed in the end, but they learned from that and through that wisdom came to a better world for both.
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